How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
Protein in the one macro that everyone worries about.
Wanna lose weight? Protein
Want to bulk up? Protein
Following a vegan/vegetarian diet? Where is your protein?
One of the main concerns I hear from clients on a day to day basis is if they are getting enough protein. (How bad are carbs for you is a close second. That’s a whole other article. Tl;dr Carbs are not bad for you and your body needs them)
There’s protein added in the weirdest products. I’ve seen Protein Coconut Water, Protein Vodka, High Protein Cookies, High Protein Pasta, High Protein Beer…the list goes on. source
I watch people on Instagram start their day with protein coffee, make protein donuts and drink protein before bed. But how much do you really need?
Before we get to that, let’s talk about what protein actually does for your body. Protein helps accelerate muscle growth and helps speed up recovery. When you exercise you create micro-tears in your muscles. The harder or more intense the workout, the more micro-tears occur. Protein helps repair the micro-tears which in turn helps the muscles grow stronger.
Protein also helps your immune system. After a hard workout your immune system is weakened for around 4–5 hours. Protein stimulates white blood cells that help your immune system stay healthy.
But how much do you need? It depends on a range of things such as age, sex, how much you workout, etc but here’s a rough guide:
The recommended minimum protein intake for sedentary, generally healthy adults is 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body mass. That’s about 55 grams of protein per day for a 150 pound person. That’s just the baseline amount you need to function.
During high intensity training the protein intake would increase to about 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kg of body mass. That would be about 95–135 grams of protein for a 150 pound person.
If you are over 65 you should aim for around 2 grams of protein per kg of body mass to help replace the lean muscle you naturally lose as you get older.
Should you try to get all of your protein in one sitting? No. The ideal amount of protein to eat at each meal should be around 35 grams. Focus on getting around 25–35 grams with each meal and supplement with some protein rich snacks during the day. Anything more than 35 grams isn’t absorbed by the muscles.
Does it matter if I get my protein from protein supplements or whole foods? Whole food protein is usually preferred to supplements due to their slower rate of absorption and because of the more complete micronutrient profile. But, especially people who follow a vegan/vegetarian diet, you may need to supplement. I personally use a protein powder everyday (I follow a vegan diet) in the morning and try to get the rest of my protein through plant based whole foods.
I hope this clears up any protein confusion. If you have any other questions about protein or nutrition in general let me know!
Sources
https://www.precisionnutrition.com
https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a19525156/how-much-protein-can-your-muscles-absorb/
